Liquid-tapping device.



B. SCHMELZER. LIQUID TAPPING DEVICE. APPLIoATIoN FILED JAN.24, 1911.

1,077,943'. Patented NOV. 4, 1913..

"will WITNESSES v INVENTOR 5,4 5

DIUMII. A U0.. WASHINGTON. D.

`UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.Y i

BERivARD SCHMELZER, or JoLYIET, ILLIivorsk LIQUID-TAPPING DEVICE 1 p To allwhom 25 may concern."

Be it known that I, BERNARD SGHMELZER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Joliet, in the county of Will and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Liquid-Tapping Devices, of which thefollowing is a specification.

The invention which I discloseherewith relates to improvements in liquid tapping devices, such as beer taps, particularly of that class in which the device comprises an inter-V changeable bushing adapted to be screwed or otherwise itted into the liquid containingreceptacle and a main tap element which may be readily connected to and disconnected from the bushing and thereby enable it-s removal from one receptacle to another, said bushing being provided with a detachable plug which may readily be removed therefrom, as by a thrust from the outside, when it is desired to attach the main tap element for drawing off the liquid.

My improvement also relates to those taps in which provision is made for supplying air or other gas under pressure through another part of the tap,the liquid being forced under pressure of said gas, it being provided, however, that when the liquid contains or generates gases of its own sufcient toproduce the necessary drawing pressure the artificial pressure may be discontinued.

The principal object of my invention is to provide means for detachably fastening the tap securely in the bushing and to cause it to operate in such a way that there can be no leakage, and, moreover, so as to avoid any friction or substantial wear on the packing material, which is usually provided on the end adjacent the plug. I also aim to provide a bayonet catch on a freely rotatable sleeve adapted to engage said bushing in such a way that when t-urned into place a purely longitudinal pressure will be eXerted on a rubber packing between the receptacleengaging bushing and the tap, the catch slots being adapted to permit varying degrees of tight-ness and to provide for wear in such a way as always insures atight joint. These and other objects I will more fully set forth in the following specification and claim.

I am aware that various taps have already been used embodying the principle of using a detachable bushing fitted into the liquid holding receptacle and pro-vided with means Specification o'f Letters Patent, l

for att-aching a discharge tap thereto by means of suitable threads yor catches, and' also embodying the use of a draft tube and means my invention, however, which I believe to be novel and useful, as more fully hereinafter set forth and particularly pointed out in the claim.

Referring to the drawings-Figure 1 represents a vertical middle section of my improved tap showing the draft tube in perspective. Fig. 2 is a vertical middle section of the receptacle engaging bushing. Fig. 3 is a horizontalcross section along the line 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. t is a vertical perspective view of the bayonet catch locking cylinder which coacts with `the said bushing.

In all the drawings like numerals refer to like parts.

enerally speaking, my improved tap -in its preferred embodiment comprises ve separate and freely detachable parts beside the bushing 1, viz: the catch bearing cylinder 2, the gasket bearing cylinder 3, the gas pressure T-connector 11, the draft packing pressure cap 16, and the main screw cap 15 for locking the draft tube.

The receptacle bushing 1 is of a general cup shape, having its outside threaded or otherwise adapted to Securely engage the wall of 'a liquid containing receptacle, as when it is screwed into a bung-hole. The lower end of the bushing is substantially flat, with a central opening through al depending annular flange 7 for the admission of a draft tube 9, with ample clearance for air space 8. The substantially cylindrical inner surface of this bushing 1 is provided with slots each comprising preferably a short, longitudinal portion 5 extending from the edge and merging intoV a laterally eX- tending, downwardly inclined portion 5 eX- tendingI partly around lthe inside of the bushing. The bottom of thisbushing constitutes an annular shoulder 6 about the draft tubev opening, adapted to serve as a seat for the tapping device.l The opening in the flanged part 7 may be closed by an ordinaryfstopper, such as a cork or the like, inserted from thelower end.A This bushing 1 is intended to be placed inthe receptacle when filled and may remain attached thereto at all times, the taps being interchangeable with respect thereto..

` Patented'NovQt, 1913. i Application filed January 24, 1911'. Serialr No, 604,372.

for supplying an artificial gas pressure to the receptacle. There are certain features'of The gas pressure T-connector 11 comprises preferably a Pshaped casting'threaded at each of the three openings. It has a nipple the drawing anda suitable iackino .Oasket D? .D b

13 between the' connector and the nipple.

The lower end of the inain body of this` T-connector is threaded at 22 preferablyl o-n the inside, and adapted to engage af downwardly extendingl hollow cylindrical Yelement 3 having a horizontally and outfw'ai'dl extendin' iiange 2401i its lower end.

y s e This element 3 is also provided on said lower' endwith a slot 25 for attaching an annular rubber gasket 4 or the like adapted to insure a perfectly tight iit when .pressed closely against a suitable coacting element Surrounding this downas bushing 1. wardly extending elementV 3 and bearing downwardly against the said flange is a catch bearing cylinder 2 adapted to Vrotate freely about 3, suitable arms 10 being provided on the upper endV by means of which one may turn the saine forcibly when desired, as in locking. YThe lower end of this 'locking cylinder 2 is fitted with oppositely ex-` tending lugs 23 adapted to engage the corresponding slots 5 5 in the receptacle engaging bushing 1.

The upper end of the i`ele1nent is preferably expanded, thereby providing a shoulder on the inside, not far from the top, adapted to serve as a seat for a cylindrical rubber gasket 17. A small plain bushing 1G is provided to it loosely in the upper end of this T-element and rest upon said rubber gasket. Threads are provided at 19 on the outside on the'upper end of T-element adapted to engage corresponding threads Aon the inside of a cylindrical cap element 15. This cap has a perforated top forming a bearing shoulder at the upper end adapted to exert a pressure against the said bushing and force it downwardly against the rubber gasket 17 when said cap 15 is screwed tightly down as enabled by the arms 20.

rThe various assembled, present a oylindricalpassage of substantially uniform dianietenexcept that when pressure is applied on the gasket 17 in the upper end ofthe T-element it expands transversely of the passage so as to tightly engage theA draft tube inserted within the tap. This tube at all other points is of less diameter than the cylindrical opening in thetap and lits loosely therein. This loose-y ness perinits air or other gas tobe introduced under pressure through the nipple 12 andthence downwardly through the tap outside ofthe draft tube and into the liquid receptacle. None of this gas can escape upward because of the expanded condition of the gasket 17. Hence, when thegas or air yhand direction.

elements aforesaid, when 1Each lliquid containing receptacle, such as ,barrels or ,the like, adapted for storage and transportation purposes, is fitted with one of the interchangeable receptacle bushings, whichis screwed tightly into the bung-hole and closed by means of a suitable removable stopper which can be knocked `out by a sud den thrust inwardly, as by the draft tube. Then it is Idesired to draw liquid from a `receptacle lfitted with one of these bushings, -it is first necessary to insert the gasketequipped' end of the tap into the open cup like inouth of the bushing with the gasket on the end of the `tap engaging the bottom of the cup, and with Athe lock lugs registering wit-h the lock slots. Then the bayonet catch cylinder which surrounds the lower end of the tap is Agiven av sharp 4turn in the proper direction, preferably in the standard right- This thrusts the tap -well` into the cup of the bushing and tightly closes ythe packing connection between the bushing and the tap, the closeness of t depending on the degree of force applied to :the catch cylinder 2. The '1 -connector is preferably already attached to the gasket cylinder 3, but if it is -notvalready in place it is next to be attached by means of the threaded connection 22. The draft tube 9, gasket 17, bushing 116, and 'cap 15 are: preferably already in place, with the cap screwed yloosely in position. The draft tube, one end of which is connected by suitable piping to the liquid drawing faucet, is inserted withI its open end foremost into my improved tap and 4'given a quick thrust inward, which thus removes the plug in the niain bushing. Iinme'diately vupon thrust-ing this draft-tube downward the cap at the top of the tap is given aV quick turn in the proper direction to tighten it, which act compresses the rubber gasket adjacent thereto and expands it horizontally so as to fit tightly around the draft-tube and prevent any leakage either of air or liquid around the outside of the said tube. In the meantime the artilicial pressure nipple having been connected to a suitable source of air or other gas pressure is adapted to conduct such gas into the receptacle, whereby it will cause the liquid to flow outward through the draft-tube under corresponding pressure when the drawing faucet is opened.

Although I have connned my description 'to a single preferred embodiment, I wish it to be understood that such modifications as the terms of my claims will permit may be made by one skilled in the art without de-v parting from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

ln a device of the class described, a hollow bushing provided with a reduced aperture through the bottom, said aperture forming a shoulder insaid bushing and adapted to be closed by a corkorplug, said bushing being further provided with downwardly inclined slots in the interior lateral surface thereof saidk inclined slots having entrance slots leading upwardly from the upper end thereof, a. tapping member comprising a sleeve having a flange at its lower extremity closely fitting the interior of said bushing and provided with a groove in its under Vsurface, a. connector member secured to the upper end of said sleeve and having an external ange around its lower extremity, a packing ring carried in said groove in the sleeve flange and resting on the shoulder in said 'bushing when in assembled relation, and a locking sleeve closely tting around tween the lower end of the connector member and the flange on said first named sleeve, said locking sleeve being provided with outwardly extending lugs adapted to co-act with the slots in said bushing, and being further provided with operating handles located a relatively` considerable distance above the upper end of said bushing, whereby said sleeve may be partially rotated to press said packing ring against said bushing shoulder without said handles closely approaching the chimes of a barrel in which said bushing may be carried.

In testimony whereof, I have subscribed my name.

BERNARD SCHMELZER. Witnesses:

HENRY B. SoHEm'r, ROBERT F. McRoERTs.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, 'by addressing the Commissioner of IPatents, Washington, D. C. 

